Angel's Breath
by Rina
Summary: Elisa's sister meets a strange new man, though she has no idea how strange he really is. "The Darkest of Promises" is recommended, and please r+r:)
1. Default Chapter

Angel's Breath

By Rina, 2000

Gargoyles rightfully belong to Disney and Buena Visa. This is a nonprofit fan fiction. All characters, except those from the original show, were created by Rina. Please email me with your comments at [rina560@hotmail.com][1]

Demona's voice: "Previously, on _Gargoyles_:"

From "The Mirror":

Hudson: "It's not just a mirror, lass. It's Titania's mirror. Titania, queen of the third race." 

Elisa: " Third race?" 

Broadway: "You know, gargoyles, humans, and Oberon's children." 

From "Cloud Fathers":

Elisa: "Beth? Dad?!" 

Beth Maza: "Sis!" 

From "The Darkest of Promises":

"There," Demona said, carefully placing the pane of glass beside her. She lithely crawled through, her son quickly following. It was dark in here, though that was of no consequence to keen gargoyle eyes. They moved past the display cases, Demona's long tail lashing excitedly as she saw her goal. It was a gray-black gem, carved into the shapes of twin hands holding a silver orb. 

"The Orb of Ze'aih," she told Jericho.

"What is it?" He questioned, stooping down to study it.

"It supposedly is a cursed object crafted by the demon Ze'aih and is capable of mass destruction." She smiled. "Which is why I want it."

* *

****

The Past

Time Unknown

Golden moonlight, a rich shade of yellow, washed over the tall trees of a land that was both blessed and cursed by magic. Underneath a huge willow tree, whose thin, feathery branches seemed to disappear into the clear pool beside it, was a cloaked man, kneeling. A gray-haired woman dressed in robes of pure white lay near him, her delicate hand clasped tightly in his. Her pale green eyes were still beautiful, even though Death loomed in them.

"My love," the man whispered softly, the woman's wrinkled face breaking into a gentle smile. With her other hand, she touched his cheek, hidden within the shimmering folds of black cloth. The light of life slowly dimmed from her green eyes, and her hand fell limply. Bowing his head in grief, the cloaked man uttered a single word, tainted with his sorrow.

"Eve…"

* *

**Present **

Arnold Dezro hated to be alone, especially on dark nights such as this one. The moon wasn't even out, and the single white light from the towering streetlight was not enough to keep the thick, eerie shadows away. Shoving his hands deep into his worn pockets, the elderly man tried to speed up, listening to the sounds of his own heavy breathing. Sometimes he wondered why he kept the shop open so late at night, and why he always had to walk home alone. He and Tina couldn't afford a car either, not with the high cost of running the corner grocery store. 

The sounds of footsteps startled him, and Arnold turned around slowly. There was nothing, though, except for the black, vacant stare of the decrepit buildings that loomed around him like giant beasts. He hurried up trying hard to ignore the cold sweat dripping down his brow.

Maybe he would make it home…

"Hey, old man," someone called out harshly, and Arnold stopped, his heart racing in his chest like some trapped animal. Shaking, he gazed over his shoulder, watching the four men creep out from the shadows, the streetlight illuminating their cruel visages. The leader, a tall, lanky man with a tangled mass of red hair and black nails stepped forward, the silver ankh around his thin neck catching the white light.

Arnold backed up.

"Tell you what. You give us all of your cash, and we'll let you live," the leader said, grinning wickedly. Arnold felt the fluttering of his heart increase, and he struggled to breathe.

"I-I do-don't have much-,"

"Just give us the fucking money," the man snarled, pulling a sharp knife from the depths of his black coat. With quaking hands, Arnold did as he was told, and gave the tattered wallet to the red-haired man. The gang leader seemed disappointed with the lack of bills, and he scowled at the elderly man.

"Well. Guess we gotta kill you, huh?"

Behind him, the other members laughed.

"Please, don't. I-," Arnold started, his face ashen. 

"Shut up!" the other man screamed, and struck him hard. Arnold hit the cracked sidewalk, wincing as he felt warm blood trickle from his burst lip. The gang surrounded him, a pack of hyenas circling a dying gazelle. He stared up in terror, shocked when he heard another voice from the alleyway.

"Leave him alone."

The black-nailed hoodlum spun around to face the person who had spoken on Arnold's behalf. It was a woman, who body half-covered with golden armor, a strange creature with somber, clear eyes and midnight-black hair tied back into a braid. The silvery streetlight played across her face, and the bright red streaks slashed across it.

"What the hell did you just say?" 

There was no reply.

Wielding the glittering knife in one hand, the gang leader rushed at the tall woman, who seemed to vanish. The thug glanced about, confused, and didn't have enough time to shriek when one of the iron fire escapes moved, writhing like an angry snake, and impaled him. Gurgling, the dead gang member slumped over, the metal spear protruding from his chest.

"Oh, shit," one of the survivors muttered, as they warily backed up, then ran for their lives. Arnold, now alone once more, looked down at the gang's leader, limply lying in a shallow pool of scarlet, his eyes wide with terror.

* *

"Just in time!" Brooklyn whooped, hopping over a table and landing on the couch, snatching up the remote as he did so. 

"Alright!" Lexington shouted, scrambling across the tiled floor and taking his place beside his crimson brother. The television was switched on just as the third member of the Trio waddled in, carrying a large bowl of buttered popcorn. 

"Has it started?" Broadway asked, plopping down in one of the reclining chairs.

"Shhhh!"

The show's theme music was playing when Hudson stepped into the huge room, eyeing the screen with distaste. 

"What be all this, then?" The old Gargoyle inquired, folding his leathery brown wings across his shoulders.

"It's called _Petersburg Mall_," Broadway answered, between bites of popcorn. 

Hudson glanced at the glowing screen, then raised one ridged eyebrow.

"It's a sort of gameshow," Lex explained, his eyes glowed to the television, "where eight contestants have to spend a month together in a mall in order to win two million dollars."

"Aye. Sounds like a foolish idea ta me."

"It's really great," Brooklyn piped up, settling back against the sofa. Hudson mumbled to himself about being surrounded by stupidity, and walked out of the room, his talons clicking on the bare floor. He was looking for Bronx, their guard dog, when suddenly he heard a soft weeping and saw a figure perched on the ledge outside.

It was Angela, he saw when he went outside, and she was sobbing quietly into her hands. 

"What's the matter, lass?" Hudson questioned, concerned. 

The young female looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.

"It's nothing."

"Doesna seem to be nothing. Tell ol' Hudson yer problem." 

"I was thinking about my mother," Angela replied, folding her violet hands in her lap.

Hudson frowned. Demona had disappeared nearly three weeks ago, into another realm with Chaos and her demonic followers. Although he had to admit that deep down, he knew that she had deserved it, he couldn't tell that to her grieving daughter.

"Lass, Demona did many terrible things in her life. But what she did tha' day, givin' up her own life-perhaps she finally came ta see the light." 

Angela sniffed.

"Do you think?"

Hudson put a comforting hand around her shoulder.

"Aye, I do." 

* *

Captain Chavez gestured for Elisa Maza to come forward, flinging a thick file across her desk as she did so. The detective raised one dark eyebrow as she opened the manilla folder, dozens of grisly photographs tumbling out. A man had been horribly butchered, a bar of bloody metal impaled through his chest.

"Terrible, isn't it? But what I want to know is who did it. I mean, from the report, a _fire escape _was jammed through his chest," the captain told her.

"How is that possible?"

"We don't know," Chavez replied, steepling her fingers, "though you're going to find that out."

"Me?"

"You're one of my best detectives," she answered, smiling.

"I know, but my sister's in town…" Elisa protested.

"I'm sure you can work around that. When is she arriving?"

"Very soon. She's probably at the airport by now."

The captain smiled.

"Like I said, I'm sure that you can work around that."

* *

Beth Maza made her way around the milling people at the airport, her heavy luggage in tow. She puffed and struggled to pull the bags over to a row of cushioned chars, where she prepared to promptly fall into one. Where was Elisa?

A lanky man, his lean body hidden by a black overcoat, walked over to her.

"Do you need help with those?" He asked politely, putting his sunglasses in one of his pockets.

"Yeah. Thanks," she gasped, her face flushed from the effort and the fact that he was handsome. After the bags had been pushed beside the nearest chair, Beth plopped down.

"Thanks. I really appreciated that-what's your name?"

"Christian. Christian d'Armore." 

"Nice to meet you, Christian. I'm Elizabeth Maza."

"Where are you headed?" The friendly man inquired, and Beth tried hard not to blush. God, he was something, with those dark eyes and chiseled face.

"To my sister's. She supposed to be here by now," she answered, silently cursing Elisa.

"I could give you a ride. If you'd like one," Christian told her.

"S-sure!"

What luck! Beth thought happily. 

* *

Phil's Comic Book Shop was unusually quiet this morning, and the owner sighed as he got down on his knees and began to organize the newest batch of Spiderman comic books. He was a plump little man, who hated physical exertion but liked children, who frequently visited his store. 

The little bell above the shop's door rang as someone walked in. Looking over the clear shelf, Phil saw a woman walk in, headed straight for the counter. He almost snickered. She looked like something straight of a comic, golden armor covering an inhumanely beautiful frame. Well, then again, costumed people weren't abnormal around here-he had once met a gang of Klingons on their way to a Star Trek convention. 

"Can I help you?" He questioned, standing up and brushing off his khaki pants.

"Yes," the woman said, her almost white eyes gazing at the various posters and models, "I am looking for someone."

"Uh, sure. Maybe I can help."

The black-haired woman leaned over the counter, giving Phil a good view of her ample cleavage. 

"I am looking for this man," she said, giving him a black and white photo of a thin man with dark eyes.

"Nope. Haven't seen him," he said, shrugging.

"Damn!" The strange woman screamed, and brought her fists down on top of the shelf. Phil watched in horrified fascination as the counter shattered into pieces.

"Hey!" He yelled furiously, as she turned to leave, "you're gonna have to pay for that."

Then she disappeared in a thick cloud of black smoke. Literally, vanished.

Phil stood there with his jaw hanging open.

"Or maybe not." 

* *

When the phone began to ring as Elisa walked into her apartment, she dove for it. Beth's voice was on the other line.

"Sis, I'm sorry, but the captain-,"

"It's okay," her sister interrupted, "in fact, I met the cutest guy at the airport, and he brought me home. We have everything in common, and he's so handsome." 

"Really?" Elisa heaved a sigh of relief. Thank God Beth wasn't mad at her. It wasn't her fault, after all, that Chavez had forced her into this case.

"Anyway, we talked almost all day, and he says that he wants to see me again!" Beth's voice was filled with excitement. 

A dark, winged shape appeared outside of her window and gently knocked on the glass. It was Goliath.

"I have to go, Sis. Talk to you later," Elisa told her sister, then hung up and went to let the Gargoyle in. There was a concerned expression on his face, and so she asked him to tell her what was wrong.

"I have heard of this recent murder, Elisa," he said quietly, his deep voice tinged with uneasiness.

"So who do you think it was? Demona?"

Goliath folded his wings over his broad shoulders and shook his head slowly.

"No. Though it looks like her handiwork, she could not have done it," the Gargoyle replied, referring to the fact that Demona was trapped in another realm with Chaos and her demonic servant.

"Then who? Hyena and Jackal?" Elisa asked, speaking of the twin cyborgs. 

"No. They are thieves, not murderers."

"Well, we checked the murder weapon. There were no fingerprints," the detective informed him. 

Goliath tilted his head, perplexed. 

"How can that be?"

"I don't know, "she said helplessly, collapsing into a reclining chair and shrugging.

* *

"Yeah, I'm going to invite Mom and Dad over too. I want all of you to meet Christian," Beth announced the next day. 

"I don't know. I'm kind of busy," Elisa said, as the two walked past several quaint shops and cafes. 

"C'mon. It'll be fun. And Christian's a great guy, I assure you."

They stopped before a small candy store, where rows of frosted cookies and chocolates were carefully arranged on white, lacy paper. Elisa shoved her hands deep into her pockets and bit her lower lip. If she hadn't left Beth stranded at the airport, then perhaps she could have said no without feeling guilty.

"Aren't you guys moving a little fast?"

"No. I mean, do you know when you're sure you've found the perfect guy? That's Christian," Beth responded, lighting tracing a fingertip over the glass.

That's Goliath, Elisa thought to herself.

"Where's Elisa?" Angela asked, looking up from the thick book that she was reading.

"She's seeing her family," Hudson started, before the Trio began trying to hush him.

"Are ye still watching tha' foolishness?" The old Gargoyle demanded. He grinned secretly at Angela, who returned the smirk. 

"It's not foolish!" Lexington protested, as Brooklyn raised the volume and sipped at his soda. 

"They're about to vote someone out of the mall!" Broadway declared, ripping open a huge bag of potato chips, most of its contents spilling on the floor. Lex exuberantly nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. 

"Ha! 'Tis nothing more than stupidity that rots yer brains! Why, when I was young, we entertained ourselves!" Hudson shouted, puffing out his chest.

"Yeah, and look how _he _turned out," Brooklyn whispered, snickering. 

"What be that? What did ye just say, ye insolent knave!"

"I said, 'You're right, Hudson.'"

"Dona lie to me!" The old one ranted, before Angela stepped off of her stool and led him out. 

* *

The silence at the table would have been overwhelming, if not for Beth's perkiness and endless conversation topics.

"Christian's a corporate lawyer, sent to settle legal matters at Nightstone Unlimited since the president disappeared," Beth explained, taking a slice of garlic bread and smiling broadly, "isn't that right?"

Elisa, whose plate of spaghetti sat uneaten, felt her heart pound faster when Christian nodded, his black eyes boring through her soul. Well, he's definitely creepy, she thought, shifting in her chair uneasily. 

"So, Christian, do you have any family?"

The man's unnerving gaze shifting from Elisa to her father, who had asked the question. He almost smiled, and pushed back his equally black hair.

"No." The simple word, spoken in a resounding, eerie voice, made Elisa involuntarily shudder. Nervously, she picked up one of the paper napkins and balled it up in her fist.

Everyone waited for him to share more, but he didn't make a sound. 

Elisa's father coughed, ending the dreadful silence. 

"I'm so sorry. Did they die?"

"No, they're still alive. In a way."

Mrs. Maza raised one eyebrow and glanced over at her husband, her expression one of confusion. Then, looking back at the table, she picked up her glass and sipped slowly.

Again, that horrible silence, so heavy that it was almost tangible. 

"Well, it's nice that they're still, er, alive," Elisa's father said, trying in vain to grin.

Christian didn't reply.

Beth, meanwhile, was busy shoveling in food, oblivious to her family's awkwardness. 

"Before he became a lawyer, he studied archeology, like I am. We got into a wonderful conversation about ancient Mesopotamia," she said, putting her fork down and folding her hands, beaming. 

"You studied archeology? That's a quite fascinating subject," Mrs. Maza commented.

"Yes. It is."

Nothing more. 

Again, Elisa's father coughed, this time standing.

"Excuse me. I have to go meet some, um, friends. Nice meeting ya, Christian," he said, backing away quickly.

"Look at the time! Better go start the dishes," his wife chipped in, whisking away her dirty plates and vanishing into the tiny kitchen. 

"Hey, thanks Mom! Dinner was great!" Beth shouted out to her mother, then said, "hey, let's go out for coffee or something."

Elisa smiled inwardly, glad to be out of this place and away from Beth's freakish boyfriend.

"You too, Sis."

Damn.

* *

Owen, the assistant to David Xanatos, one of the richest men in the world, steadily climbed the stone steps to meet the Gargoyles. The recent murder was bothering him, and it stank of magic. It was a dark, narrow staircase, and he couldn't see much except for the thick curtain of blackness. He did, however, hear someone behind him and sensed another fae. Turning, his wooden face contorted with a mixture of fear and loathing when he saw his pursuer.

It was no other than Alecto, chief assassin of Oberon whose lust for blood was equal to that of a demon's. Moonlight washed across her lithe body and armor, her clear white eyes laughing at him with mad glee. 

"Alecto," Owen greeted her coldly.

"Puck," she responded, her sadistic grin making her face even more feral. 

"What do you want?" He asked, ignoring the fact that she was referring to his alter ego.

"I've come to complete a job from Lord Oberon," she responded, her raven braid swaying as she walked up to meet him.

"And what's that got to do with me?"

"I want you to stay out of my way," Alecto bluntly stated.

"Of course. Now, leave."

"Ah, giving me the cold shoulder, eh? You certainly wouldn't have done that five centuries ago, when you begged to make love to me," the assassin hissed. Owen tried hard not to blush, and succeeded. Instead, he continued his march up the steps, and soon Alecto, finding that her remark had not humiliated him, faded into a wisp of dark smoke. 

* *

Elisa tried hard not to show her displeasure as they made their way down the crowded street, the warm air ruffling their hair. She keep her eyes to the ground, listening as the tow lovers chatted, Beth doing much of the taking.

When they came to a corner store that sold coffee and honey buns, Beth dug into her purse and pulled out some money.

"Sis, could you go get the stuff?"

"Alright," Elisa agreed, glad to be out of Christian's field of vision.

"I want a cappuccino, cinnamon on top. What do you want, Christian?"

"Just some black coffee would be fine," he answered, looking at the couples around him. 

"Get whatever you want, sis. We'll be outside," Beth announced, sitting down in one of the wicker chairs and motioning for her boyfriend to join her. The air inside of the shop was redolent of rich coffee and warm cinnamon buns. As Elisa waited in line, she gazed out the large window, where Christian and her sister were passionately kissing, the golden moonlight giving the scene a romantic quality. 

"Sorry to interrupt you two," Elisa said, when she finally returned.

Beth grinned and hugged Christian. 

"S'okay, Sis. Hey, do you guys want to see a movie?"

"I can't," Elisa replied, trying hard to think of an excuse. She was exhausted, especially with this new case that had led to a virtual dead end, and the fact that Christian leered at her made her wary. 

"I have to go too, Beth," he said suddenly, brushing aside a lock of her raven hair, "I have to start on that Nightstone Unlimited case tomorrow." Beth seemed deeply disappointed, but finally gave in. They got into Christian's black car, and he drove Elisa's sister home. Though Elisa hated the fact of being alone with the man in the car, she was quiet.

* *

"Goliath, may I have a word with you?" Owen asked. The Gargoyle leader looked out over the parapets; dawn was still a few hours away. 

"Yes?"

"I believe Elisa may be in trouble."

"Why do you say that?" Goliath inquired, concerned.

"I have just received a visit from an old acquaintance."

"Who?"

"Alecto, chief assassin of the fae. I am afraid-,"

Owen did not have a chance to continue, for Goliath had already jumped off the roof, in search of Elisa.

It felt odd being alone in the car with Christian; his very presence made the air chillier. Elisa did not look at him; instead, she held her half-filled coffee cup in one hand and propped her head on the other, gazing out the window at the starless night. The other did not say a word, his eyes blacker than the dark sky. Why Beth found him so interesting was difficult to figure out. The man was creepier than Dracula, for Christ's sake. 

Finally, he pulled up to her apartment, and carefully stepped out after thanking him.

"No problem," he said, and his stone face practically cracked with the forced smile. 

Elisa shuddered. Her shoes made a soft din on the steps as she mounted them, clutching the tepid cup of coffee in her hand. She fumbled for her key, trying to keep her eyes open, despite the fact that her heavy eyelids seemed to have a will of their own. The sound of rapid footsteps briefly caught her attention. Thinking it was Christian come back to return something, she glanced up.

Nothing.

Elisa went back to unlocking the door, her muscles violently tensing when she felt a presence behind her. Her mane of ebony hair moved with her as she turned, only to see a strange woman standing there, staring. The detective had never seen anyone like her, except for the Pack, who had since broken up. 

Athletic, lithe, the woman was tall, her revealing gold armor tightly fitting to her body. Her hair was blacker than Elisa's, tied back into a long braid that swept down the length of her back. Bright scarlet streaks were slashed across her tanned face, and her clear eyes were unnerving, to say the least. Her tattooed ears were curved upward, like some animal's. 

"Do I know you?" Elisa demanded, clutching the key in one hand and the coffee in the other. 

The woman, who resembled some sort of Amazon, took a step forward.

"Have you seen this man?" She asked, holding up a photo of Christian. Elisa sucked in her breath and bravely stared back.

"Why?"

"Tell me where he is, mortal!" Apparently the armored woman had just lost her temper. Elisa instinctively backed up, only to have a gauntleted hand roughly grasp her own. Struggling to free herself, the detective writhed and yanked, then splashed the coffee in her attacker's face.

The other woman hissed like a burnt cat and loosened her grip. Elisa turned to flee, only to be hit squarely in the back with a green blast of pure energy. She fell awkwardly, her head violently making contact with the bare floor.

"I will kill you if I have to, mortal," the armored woman sneered, putting her hands on her hips. Her eyes were glowing a hellish green, the supernatural light illuminating her face. Elisa had time before another figure slammed into her, knocking her against the wall. She scrambled up and sucked in her breath when she recognized her savior.

Christian.

"Ah. Just the person I was looking for," the woman said coolly, wiping the back of her mouth and reaching for a gleaming sword that was strapped to her back, the shiny metal catching the overhead light.

"It's silver, demon. It will send you back from the pit you crawled from," she continued. Christian took a step back warily. Unknown to Elisa, silver affected his race in the same way that iron did the fae. Legends had spread from this fact; ancient folklore had spoken of the power of the metal against evil creatures, notably the demons. 

With a shrill war cry, the golden-armored woman leapt at the startled man, who dodged her wild slashing. Her sword gleamed wickedly as she glowered at him, like a tensed panther. 

"I shall bring your head back to Oberon!"

She lunged again, but Christian narrowly avoided it, throwing a blow of his own. Crouching and then springing up with uncanny grace, the woman landed on a solid kick on Christian's chin, her razor blade missing his face by a scant inch. Elisa looked at both of them, confused, then decided to help, one way or another.

"Hey, you! Yeah, you!" Elisa called out, trying to draw the armed woman's attention away from Christian, who lay on the floor. As she turned, her eyes lit by greenish-yellow light, he pushed himself up, wiping at the thin trickle of black blood that spilled from his mouth before the detective could notice. 

"I will kill you next, mort-,"

It was at that second that Christian's clenched fist began to glow a deep red. A bolt of dark crimson shot from one hand, and the Amazon did not have time to nimbly move aside. With widened eyes, Elisa watched, shocked, as she smashed through the wall and fell of sight.

Christian turned and stared at her, the minutes passing like thick molasses. His face was horribly contorted, mouth agape to reveal jagged teeth , his eyes seething with hell fire. Elisa did the only thing that one could have done at such a moment.

She ran.

Without looking back once, she fled into her apartment, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. A figure moved out of the black shadows, slithering across the room and stopping before the startled detective as she drew her gun.

* *

"My God," Elisa whispered, her dark eyes wide. "What the hell are you?" 

Christian tried to smile and hold up his hands in an unthreatening manner, but soon found the detective's gun in his face. 

"Answer me, damn it!"

"You wouldn't believe me…"

"Try me," she said quietly, pointing the pistol at the man's chest and trying hard to keep her hands from shaking. 

Christian reluctantly backed up, then slowly sat down on the sofa, watching Elisa uneasily.

"I want to know the whole story, pal. I want to know exactly who you are and who that crazy woman was that was following you."

There was a long pause, and the man gazed down at the floor sorrowfully. 

"I am sorry for deceiving you and your sister. I-I owe you the truth." Christian looked up, his black eyes gleaming with a eerie light as they bored through Elisa's very soul. 

* *

"Hey," Brooklyn called out to Owen, who was sitting at a large desk in the building's lobby. "Have ya seen Goliath?"

Owen adjusted his wire glasses.

"He went to find Elisa."

* *

"My real name is Saar," Christian started, folding his hands in his lap. 

Elisa chewed her lower lip, still aiming her weapon at him.

"So what are you? A fae?" 

Christian grinned crookedly at her, sending shivers down the length of her spine. 

"No."

"Then what-?"

"You wanted my whole story, so I shall give it to you. All of it." The eyes were bottomless pools now, no longer human at all. 

"You have heard of Sairthi? Of Chaos?"

Elisa's heart thundered within her chest, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Of course she had-the experience with Demona was going to be hard to forget.

"Y-yes. Why?"

"Chaos birthed two races. One was just like her, malicious and twisted. They were her Children, but you humans call them demons," Christian, no, Saar, explained, his voice low. 

Although Elisa knew that she shouldn't listen, she couldn't tear herself away, a helpless Pandora awaiting her fate.

"The other race was the fae, Oberon's Children. They were opposed to Chaos, and a schism formed between them and the demons."

The detective sat down across from Saar, mouth agape but gun steady. The ebony eyed man paused.

"I was brought up to despise the fae, brainwashed by my father Ze'aih," the demon told her.

"But I fell in love with one of Oberon's Children. She was a beautiful, golden-haired fae named Eve."

Eve. The name made Elisa clench her teeth and reluctantly she lowered the gun.

"My God. Not-,"

"Yes. And when Oberon found out, he robbed her of her magic and turned her into a mortal. But we still had children together. They later called themselves humans," Saar said, and the detective struggled to breathe.

"Lies…"she choked out, raising the gun once more, the silver moonlight glinting off of the polished metal. Before she could react, he reached out and touched her temple, and saw a lush valley within her mind. There was a figure in black robes, its crimson eyes glowing inhumanly, and a blonde haired woman, her large, pale green eyes and angular face with its pointed ears marking her as a fae.

Elisa gasped. 

"Have you ever wondered why humans are better at magic? He snorted. "The Gargoyle Demona was alive for a millennium but still could be defeated by the Arch-Mage, who had lived only a mere fraction of the time."

Elisa didn't say anything but lowered her eyes.

"The Gargoyles are little more than stone statues brought to life by Oberon to fight his parent, Sairthi," the empty eyed demon hissed.

"What?"

Saar seemed to take delight in her surprise.

"Of course. There is no way you could know. When Chaos tried to return, Oberon created an entire race to fight it. And he cursed them for betraying him. You, my dear, are something more."

She didn't protest and only felt a strange, dull pain deep inside. 

"What-what happened to Eve?"

"She died, the first fae to do so. But my fate is a much lonelier one."

"So who was that woman?" Elisa inquired weakly.

" It is Alecto, one of the fae's assassins. She hunts me because Oberon wills it," replied Saar, "and will kill anyone who stands in her way."

"I don-I don't understand…why did you come here?"

"I cannot suffer to be alone for eternity…"

Elisa felt her heart sink. If this…this…creature spoke the truth, then her sister would be dating an ancient demon who was also the father of humanity! Before she could say another word, however, she saw a winged shape appear outside of her window.

"Goliath, no-," she started, before Saar whirled, his eyes flaring blood red.

The Gargoyle saw this, and he assumed that this tall, lanky man must be the fae assassin that Owen had spoke of. He thought little of the consequences of battling a supernatural when he crashed through the window, showering glass everywhere. All he could see was that Elisa was in danger. Pouncing on the gaunt man, he ignored Elisa's frantic screams until he was heaved aside like a flimsy doll. The detective watched in horror as Goliath slammed into the wall and Christian got up, his real, demonic face showing.

A car passed by the apartment, filling the room with white light and illuminating the ancient demon, who now held the Gargoyle by his throat. He was snarling, thick froth dribbling from his mouth as he struggled against Saar. 

"Let him go!" Elisa shouted, but to no avail. The demon seemed bent on ripping Goliath's spine from his body. The detective launched herself at Saar, only to roughly be thrown aside. She wasn't sure what to do; she had seen how well guns worked against supernatural creatures. But that fae, Alecto, had said something about silver…

There was no silver within sight, except for an ornate candleholder that sat upon her bookshelf, gathering dust. She grabbed it, just as Goliath began to go limp, and whacked Christian, or Saar, or whatever the thing was over the head. The demon fell bonelessly to the ground, sprawling out like a lumpy bag of potatoes. A thin trail of black fluid dripped from his slack mouth, and Elisa gritted her teeth in disgust. 

She helped Goliath up the best that she could, even as she saw Saar pull himself up, eyes glowing with hatred.

"I saved you, and this is the thanks that I get?" He hissed, eyes narrowed. Elisa held her silver weapon up defiantly, meeting the demon's cold stare.

"Why are you here?" she repeated, Goliath's drooping head against her shoulder.

"I've already told you, you ungrateful wench. And there's little that you can do to stop me," he whispered fiercely, disappearing in a thin cloud of smoke.

* *

"And ye say he was a demon?" Hudson asked the next night, furrowing his brow. 

"Yes. At least, that's what he claimed," Elisa answered, looking over at Owen, whose hands were crossed over his narrow chest, "are-are there really demons? Is his story true?"

Owen adjusted his glasses and responded, "Yes. I am afraid so. And demons aren't exactly forgiving creatures." Elisa nervously chewed her lip at this; she had neglected to tell the Gargoyles about what Saar had informed about their race.

"Do-do you think he's actually after my sister?"

Owen/Puck grimly nodded.

* *

Humming to herself, Beth added some tomatoes to her huge bowl of salad. This was going to be a great night! When the doorbell rang, she smiled happily and wiped her hands on a dishtowel. Scurrying over to the door, she greeted Christian. He returned the grin, his eyes glittering darkly.

"So nice to see you again, Beth…"

* *

Goliath's Voice: "To be continued…"

   [1]: mailto:rina560@hotmail.com



	2. Part 2

Angel's Breath:

Angel's Breath:

Part 2

Rina, 2001

Note: Gargoyles are owned by Disney, and all of the characters, except for the original ones, were created by Rina. 

Elisa's voice: "Last time, on _Gargoyles_:"

From "Angel's Breath, Part I":

"Yeah. Thanks," she gasped, her face flushed from the effort and the fact that he was handsome. After the bags had been pushed beside the nearest chair, Beth plopped down.

"Thanks. I really appreciated that-what's your name?"

"Christian. Christian d'Armore." 

"Nice to meet you, Christian. I'm Elizabeth Maza."

"Chaos birthed two races. One was just like her, malicious and twisted. They were her Children, but you humans call them demons," Christian, no, Saar, explained, his voice low. 

Although Elisa knew that she shouldn't listen, she couldn't tear herself away, a helpless Pandora awaiting her fate.

"The other race was the fae, Oberon's Children. They were opposed to Chaos, and a schism formed between them and the demons."

The detective sat down across from Saar, mouth agape but gun steady. The ebony eyed man paused.

"I was brought up to despise the fae, brainwashed by my father Ze'aih," the demon told her.

"But I fell in love with one of Oberon's Children. She was a beautiful, golden-haired fae named Eve."

Eve. The name made Elisa clench her teeth and reluctantly she lowered the gun.

"My God. Not-,"

"Yes. And when Oberon found out, he robbed her of her magic and turned her into a mortal. But we still had children together. They later called themselves humans," Saar said, and the detective struggled to breathe.

She helped Goliath up the best that she could, even as she saw Saar pull himself up, eyes glowing with hatred.

"I saved you, and this is the thanks that I get?" He hissed, eyes narrowed. Elisa held her silver weapon up defiantly, meeting the demon's cold stare.

"Why are you here?" she repeated, Goliath's drooping head against her shoulder.

"I've already told you, you ungrateful wench. And there's little that you can do to stop me," he whispered fiercely, disappearing in a thin cloud of smoke.

Humming to herself, Beth added some tomatoes to her huge bowl of salad. This was going to be a great night! When the doorbell rang, she smiled happily and wiped her hands on a dishtowel. Scurrying over to the door, she greeted Christian. He returned the grin, his eyes glittering darkly.

"So nice to see you again, Beth…"

****

Present

It was not her true form, of course; her real body (if one could call it that) was that of a golden Dragon. But to fit in, she chose a shape that resembled her old one, hurrying to try to catch her love before he made a horrible mistake.

She did not know who had mysteriously tipped her off about his whereabouts, save for the strange dream that she had been sent, while in her mountain enclave…

***

Elisa Maza unlocked her front door as quickly as she could, despite her quivering fingers. She pushed open the door to her apartment and warily looking in, mouth dry. Nothing moved in her living room except for her cat, which was stretching on her couch, the orange light of dawn washing over his fur. 

Though relieved that the demon wasn't here, she didn't have time to appreciate it. Instead, Elisa ram for the phone, desperately calling her sister's number, the phone shaking in her hand. 

"Please be there," she whispered, voice strained.

To her horror, the phone rang and no one picked up. Maybe, Elisa thought hopefully, maybe Beth's out shopping. She could only pray that Saar hadn't gotten her first. Her mind was numb as she sprinted to her bedroom, ripping apart her closet in search of something silver, the only metal that could harm demons. 

Elisa was surprised when she found the small, wrapped box of silverware; she had forgotten that she had bought it for her parents' anniversary, seven months from now. Frantically she ripped it open, tossing the glittering utensils on the floor. She dug through them, eventually finding a sharp cutting knife in the pile. Elisa gripped it tightly and raced to the door, hoping beyond hope that she could get to her sister before that demon, Saar, could.

***

Outside, in the alleyway behind Elisa's apartment, another person also had her attention focused on the ancient demon. Alecto struggled up from where she had fallen, eyes furiously glowing green as she brushed the grime from her golden armor. Her thick black hair was disheveled, strands of it falling onto her face as she used a trash can for support. 

The fae was angry, to say the least. Her quarry had escaped; never had that happened before. Frustration filled her and she wrathfully lashed out at a nearby card board box, sending it flying out into the street. 

"Calm down, Alecto," someone said from behind her, and she turned, curved sword already drawn. It was no other than Hermes, Oberon's main messenger. He was short, nearly half of the raven-haired assassin's height, with a shock of white hair and large blue eyes. The small fae was lounging on a windowsill, his silver bird wings folded around his body.

"Have you a message from Lord Oberon?" Alecto asked, sheathing her sword.

"Yes," Hermes answered quickly, nimbly hopping down beside her with fluid grace.

"Tell me it."

"He is not disappointed at your progress. But he thinks that you need some help."

Alecto clenched her fist and snarled, her pointed ears and the red streaks painted on her high cheeks giving her a beastly quality.

"I need no help."

"Lord Oberon thinks that you do," Hermes retorted, crossing his arms and daring Alecto to defy the king of their race.

She sighed.

"Fine. And who, may I ask, does he feel could help me?"

"It's a human," Hermes said.

Alecto raised one eyebrow, her pale eyes burning into the messenger's.

"A mortal?" the assassin seemed furious about this, but continued, "Who?" 

Hermes smiled.

"Elisa Maza. I believe you know her?"

"That mortal? She is the reason I lost Saar!" Alecto erupted, face contorted in rage. The silver winged messenger remained calm, despite her seething fury; his expression was placid as he went on.

"Even so, Oberon firmly believes she can assist you."

Alecto's dark lips were trembling with anger, but she willed herself to be as calm as Hermes. But oh, how she longed to tear that meddlesome human's heart out!

Without another word, she stalked out of the alleyway, leaving Hermes by himself.

***

Not surprisingly, Beth's door was locked. Luckily, Elisa was quite good at picking locks, probably from her years of breaking into places while with the clan. After a few minutes of fiddling with the lock, she was able to open the door. She stepped into the apartment, noticing the vegetables and plates scattered around the tiny kitchen. It was dark, so she flipped on a light, calling out to her sister. 

There was no response; Elisa felt her stomach sink. She felt sick and worried, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she ran from room to room. Then she heard the front door open when she was in the guest room. 

"Sis?"

There was no answer when Elisa shouted this. Heart pounding, she gripped the silver knife in her right hand, peeking out into the hallway. There was no movement; the front door was wide open. As she cautiously moved forward, something hit her in the back, knocking her to the floor. Gasping, she rolled over, weapon in hand.

Looming over her was the armor clad fae, smirking coolly. Elisa backed up, holding the gleaming knife threateningly, but the warrior held out hand.

"I'm not here to hurt you, human." The voice was raspy.

"Sure you're not. I expect to trust you when you tried to kill me last night?"

The fae, Alecto, grinned, showing her white teeth.

"Believe me or not, you can't hurt me with that knife. It's silver, not iron."

Elisa slowly, reluctantly, lowered her weapon.

"What do you want?" She warily questioned, getting up quickly.

"Lord Oberon wants your help in finding Saar," Alecto said, pale eyes studying Elisa's face.

"Why should I help you?"

"Do not give me that, human. You also want him because he's after your sister."

Elisa nodded.

"Got me on that." 

"So you will help us?" The golden armored fae seemed to struggle with this sentence.

Elisa sighed, her eyes reflecting her deep distrust of the other woman.

"On one condition." She knew that this enraged the fae, who could easily kill her, but she was taking a risky chance that Oberon was protecting her from Alecto's wrath.

"Name it."

"You'll promise me that Beth won't get hurt."

Alecto's painted face twitched, but she uttered a strangled "yes." 

Elisa put away her silver knife, watching the black-haired fae, who glared at her with disdain. The detective moved toward the door, looking over her shoulder.

"Does he have my sister?" She asked softly, and Alecto's head moved up and down. 

***

"Where are we going, Christian?" Beth inquired, smiling broadly, the warm afternoon sun lighting up her face. The tall man beside her also grinned, gently squeezing her hand. They were in the park, sitting by the pond, where ducks were gracefully swimming by on the blue water.

"It's a surprise, honey," he said, stroking her cheek with one finger. 

" I can't wait."

"Neither can I, my dear. I want us to be together forever."

"So do I," Beth said, reaching up and holding his head as she kissed him.

He smiled.

***

They had searched all day, but had found no sign of the demon. Elisa, much to her surprise, found that Alecto had opted not to change her shape into something more…normal. Instead, she found herself walking next to an armored woman that looked as though she had just stepped off the page of a comic book.

Though they got a lot of strange looks from others, they could not locate the demon or Elisa's sister. The detective was so jittery that she found herself shaking. She couldn't let anything happen to Beth! Night had fallen over New York by the time they reached Xanatos's building, the sky taking on a deep purple-black. 

Elisa entered the building, Alecto following her. Owen was there and stood up when he saw the fae. 

"You!"

"Yes, Puck. I am here on official business."

Owen raised one eyebrow, his distrust as intense as Elisa's. 

"Did Lord Oberon send you?"

" I am afraid so," she replied, watching as the elevator near them slid open, revealing David Xanatos. He was nonchalant as he walked right up to Alecto, hand outstretched.

"And who might this be, Owen?" He asked, rather politely. 

"Mr. Xanatos, this is…Alecto."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he said, though the fae shrugged off his welcoming.

"We need to see Goliath," Elisa insisted, and Xanatos, his eyes still on the shapely fae, motioned toward the elevator.

"Of course."

***

The building that rose up ominously before they was obviously old; most of the grotesque stone statues were chipped, the windows that they perched near broken. Long grass and thick weeds grew up from the ill kept lawn, the tangled plants snaking their way along the cracked sidewalk. 

"What is this place?" Beth wanted to know, standing before the wrought iron fence that circled the decrepit building. They had traveled for an hour or two in Christian's car, out into some deserted stretch of land. He did reply to her question at first; in the darkness, she could not see his face, save for the moonlight glinting off of his sunglasses. How he could see in this blackness, with those sunglasses on, was beyond her.

"It's a place I used to go to. My father built it."

"That's amazing! It looks like it's a hundred years old!"

"It is."

Beth looked at him, perplexed. She didn't know whether or not he was kidding around, especially when she couldn't read his facial features. 

"What did he build it for?" She asked, running her fingertips over the smooth stones. 

"It was a way to get home."

Again, she glanced over at him, eyebrow arched. 

"What do you mean-,"

He brushed her short hair from her face, smiling. She smiled, the scent of his cologne filling her senses.

"I want us to be together, forever, Elizabeth."

"Isn't it quick to be proposing marriage?" She whispered, wanting to be with him.

He took off his sunglasses, his dark eyes filled with something other than love. Lust, perhaps. Suddenly, his hand took hers, and they were moving into the building.

Beth was led into a cavernous room, the air stale and reeking of mold. She couldn't see anything, except for Christian's towering silhouette. He let her go, and then she was by herself until he let a dusty candle, lighting up the huge room. In the deep yellow candle light, she could see that the room was bare, except for a gigantic thing that resembled a stone altar, covered thickly with weeds. 

"My love, tonight you and I will be together forever," he said softly, the light illuminating his face in horrible ways.

"Are- are we going to get married in here or something?" Beth asked nervously, uneasiness flooding her system.

"You could say that. But before we do, I must confess to you what I really am."

She backed up, wondering if this was a sick joke. He slid toward her, his eyes hidden within their deep sockets.

"I am not what you think I am," he told her, taking her shaking hands in his own. 

Beth tried to grin, tried to pretend that she knew that this was all a prank, but her heart was racing.

"What are you, then?"

"I am a demon, my love. And tonight we shall go back to the other realm."

His eyes were studying hers, and they widened when she burst out laughing. 

"You have a strange sense of humor, Christian."

"I am not joking."

It was at that point that raw terror filled her; the look in his eyes told her that he was deathly serious.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull, but I want to go home," Beth protested weakly. 

"You are coming with me."

"I think not," she said, sprinting for the door. But he was already on top of her, pinning her to the stone floor. 

"Get off of me, creep!" 

She was rolled over onto her back, where Christian leered at her, eyes gleaming with insanity.

"I will prove to you what I am. Then you will believe me," he announced, and she gasped in fright as his features twisted, becoming something quite inhuman. His skin, which tightened around his skull, became a ghastly black, his eyes losing their pupils and becoming a demonic crimson. Twin horns grew out from his head as his claws dug deep into her soft skin, cloven feet pinning her legs. The wings that grew out from his back were spiked, the leathery skin shining wetly.

Beth screamed again.

***

"If the demon has your sister, it is quite possible that he will try to bring your sister back to the netherworld with him," Owen said. The Gargoyles were gathered around, watching with mixed expressions of horror and anger.

"Ooc, this be very bad indeed," Hudson commented, "I have heard of demons kidnapping lasses, bringing them to the forest an',"

"Will do you think he's bringing her?" Elisa interrupted. 

"It could be a number of spots that are unholy enough to give him passage," Owen explained, adjusting his wire glasses. 

"Which is the closest one?" Goliath questioned, folding his dark purple wings over his shoulders.

"It's a site a few hours from here, where the witch Mary Baker was killed. That's where Ze'aih supposedly built his site."

"Then let's go there," Alecto said, clear eyes wide at the prospect of battle. Elisa nodded and stepped forward, as did the others.

"We will go alone," the armored fae woman told them, her pride showing again.

"It would be best to take them with you. After all, Saar has the edge when he's on unholy ground," Puck replied, crossing his arms. Alecto looked as though she was trying hard to swallow a baseball; her face was contorted with bottled-up rage.

"Fine," she hissed sourly, and everyone but Owen, Bronx, and Hudson disappeared in a grayish cloud of smoke.

***

"Let me go!" Beth shrieked, pounding her fists uselessly against Christian's thick hide. He did not seem to hear her as he lifted one taloned hand, rusted chains slinking down from the wall and tying around his captive's wrists. 

"It's all for the best, my dear," Christian growled, as he drew some bizarre star-shaped thing on the altar with dull, gray chalk. When it began glow a hellish red, she stopped writhing and stared in sheer terror as a vortex opened.

***

They arrived quickly, due to Alecto's magic, at a deserted area. It was dark outside, and the only thing nearby was a hideous building, its design Gothic. There was something about the spired building that gave the group goosebumps, except for Alecto, who seemed intent on her mission. 

"That has to be it!" Lex shouted, pointing to the structure, where bright scarlet light poured out from the doorway. Alecto did not wait for the others; she was already running for the door, her sword drawn. Goliath and Brooklyn raced in shortly after.

***

Only a few more minutes, and then Saar could return back to the demonic realm with his new love. The thought of no longer being alone was wonderful, despite Beth's screams and her thrashing. He summoned a portal, watching as it slowly grew. 

Then he heard someone behind him, someone other than Beth, and he whirled. It was that damned Alecto, her curved sword catching the light of the swirling vortex. 

"Now you shall die, demon!" She screeched, lunging at him. The razor blade narrowly missed him, and he hopped aside the stone altar, eyes aglow. Snarling, he dove at her, his pointed tail catching her unprotected forearm and slicing deep into it. Normally, it would not have been so bad for the assassin, but the building's evilness gave extra strength to Saar. Crying out in pain, she fell to the floor, her sword arm useless as he hit her again, making sure that she stayed down.

Gargoyles, those annoying creations of Oberon, followed Alecto; he managed to strike the first one, a deep red creature with a long beak, with a blast, sending him back outside. The big purple one, however, seemed quicker, and deftly dodged Saar's powerful swipes. They continued to throw blows at each other, until a little green Gargoyle sprang on his back, scratching the vulnerable part of his neck. Bellowing, Saar tossed him off and spun to face his foe once more. 

*** 

Elisa gritted her teeth as she struggled to pick the locks on her sister's chains. She knew that the fight was not going well; Alecto's arm was almost severed, blood pooling around her body, Brooklyn was unconscious, and Lex was gone. Only Broadway and Goliath fought Saar, and when the aqua, rotund Gargoyle and his leader were hit, she knew that they were finished. 

The monstrous demon had turned his attention on them, Goliath laying face down on the floor behind him. Though not yet out, the Gargoyle was badly hurt, deep claw marks riddling his body. Saar slowly moved toward him, ready to claim his bride.

"Go back to hell," she heard herself saying as she reached into her pocket and yanked out the silver knife. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as her blade sank into Christian's scaled knee, sending gouts of burning black blood everywhere. He screeched, his horned head tossed back in agony as she backed against the cold wall. 

To her horror, she found that she was now defenseless, and there was a murderous look in Christian's red eye. Elisa prepared for the fatal blow, just as a woman's voice rang out.

"No, Saar! Stop!"

A female stood in the doorway, her body outlined by the gold moonlight. As Saar turned his ugly head, she began to change, taking on the shape of a dragon, one with glittering yellow scales the color of the sun. Pale green eyes shifted from Elisa to the horned demon.

"Who are you?" He demanded, eyes burning brighter as his anger rose.

"Don't you recognize me, my love?"

Saar just stared.

"I did not die, Saar. I merely changed my shape, reborn into the form of the Dragon, as Lord Oberon willed it."

"No," the demon gasped.

"Of course, you would not recognize me as the Dragon. Perhaps you would if I told you that my name was once Eve."

"You lie," he snapped, though his voice revealed that he was unsure. 

"You know I speak the truth. Come back to me. Leave the child be."

"I-," Saar started, then moved toward the gleaming Dragon.

"We can be together again. There is no more reason to hide from you," she said softly.

"I have missed you," he whispered, then his eyes went blank, dark blood spilling from his slack mouth. He fell bonelessly to the ground, his corpse disintegrating into black ash. 

"No!" Eve shrieked as she saw the silver sword that had killed him. Her green eyes glittered with hatred as they moved toward his killer. Alecto only smiled smugly as the portal faded behind her. The Dragon could only gape helplessly at her fellow fae. 

"Lord Oberon willed it," was Alecto's only excuse as she faded. 

"You shall pay for this," Eve hissed, then gazed over at Elisa, eyes glowing. She watched the huge dragon, as if caught in a half-dream. Everything seemed to move as one, and then there was only darkness, a sharp ringing sound puncturing it.

***

The alarm clock beside Elisa's bed rang, and groggily she turned it off as she awoke, yawning and rubbing her eyes. God, what a odd dream. And it had seemed so real. She stood up, wondering how in the world she could ever have such strange dreams, especially ones that involved demons and dragons and killer fae. The phone rang, and much to her surprise, she found that it was her sister.

"I had the weirdest dream last night. You were going to marry Satan," Elisa told her sister, and Beth laughed. 

"Are you going to pick me up at the airport today?"

"Yeah," she said, and after chatting for a short while with Beth, she hung up. Elisa was not sure why, but it felt as though it had been several days, all compressed into a few short hours. A feeling of uneasiness came over her, briefly, then subsided. 

Feeling relieved, she headed for the bathroom to take a shower. She never did notice the knife underneath her bed, stained with black blood.

***

In the darkness, it watched the past days events and gleefully laughed, its roiling form twisting into a shape that would have made Saar look like a harmless puppy. When it spoke, its hoarse voice rang with destruction and death.

"And everything goes according to plan."


End file.
